Drill collar for well drilling strings



Nov. 30, 1937. J. c. WRIGHT 2,100,419

DRILL COLLAR FOR WELL DRILLING STRINGS Filed Nov. 14, 1936 five/72b)" Jase: 6." Mia/7'7 Has Elia/6:]

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNI-TED STATES DRILL COLLAR FOR WELD DRILLING-f STRINGS Jesse 0. Wright; Los Angeles; caniq ApplicationNovember 14, 1936s Serial-No; 110,819 17 Claims. (01; 255' 2s)" in the event the same becomes caught or sanded Y in the well bore.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide improvements-in drill collars of the general character described ancl'claimed in Letters Patent 2,090,822 entitled Drill collar, granted to me Aug'us't' 24, 1937.

In the rotary method of deep well drilling it is customary to provide a drill collar in the drilling string above the bit-or drilling tool. A drill collar is a-relatively heavy'rigid member for lending weight and rigidity to the drilling string immediately above the drilling tool. ameter of a typical-drillcollar and, therefore, the weight of a typical drill collar of a given length has been definitely limited by the necessity of leaving sufiicient clearance around the drill collar to allow a wash-over pipe to be passed downwardly over the collar in the event the drilling tool or the drill collar, or both, become sanded or caught in the well bore. Thus, while it'has been recognizedas desirable to employ a heavy drill collar it has been impractical to increase the weight of a typical'drill collar appreciably without materially increasing its length-and a drill collar of great length has numerous disadvantages.

Another object of this invention is to provide a drill collar of great weight and minimum" length thatmay be employed without danger of becoming permanently mudded or lost in the Well";

Another object of this invention is to provide a e drill collar of large diameter and, therefore, of

great weight, that may be easily freed for removal in the event'that the bit or the drill collar,

or both, become sanded or caught in the well.-

Another object of this invention is to provide a drill collar that is sufficiently large in diameter to operate as an effective bearing or guide to stabilize andguide the drilling tool and the drilling string.

Another object of this invention is to provide'a drill collar of the'character mentioned embodying the usual circulation passage for handling the mtary mud employed during the drilling operation and a separate means for receiving flushing fluid" the flushing fluid in the drill collar of-thepresent invention assuresthe -recovery of the -'-drill collar The outside diand the drilling-tool in the event thatthy=b'-' come-"sanded" in the well bore n Ancther obi'ectofthis inventionfisjto "provide a" drill collar of the character mentioned in"whi theflushingfiuid-employed for freeing the drill" 5 collar"is -dischai'gedadjac M Q f thedrill' colla'r and may adjacentitsupper erid V H 1 portion of 'the drillcollar 1s"so* tightly the'borethat the fluid' can not discharge at tliat point.

A' further object ofthis inventionis to'provide? a drill collar of the =character mentioned fthat embodies a-n'dvl tr'apmean's for preventing-fac cumulati'dns of sandffrom clogging Ethe auxiliary 15 V fluid handling means.

The various obj ec ts andieatures-oi {my 'i y m tion will be' fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferredff 'orrn and application ofme'invennon, throughout-" whichdescription referenceis made to'the ac-F companying drawing in whichz V V Fig. 1 is a longitudinal detaild sec tional new of the imerevea drill collar "provided by th is me; vention -illustr'atinga portionof the body infsideelevation, and Figs; 2,- 3 and iare enlarged-trans; verse? detailed sectional views taken asindica'ted V by lines -Z"'2;' 3 3 and 4 4, respectively) on -The' drill collar provided by 'thls-inventionfin clude's; generally, a body l 0- to be connected ina rotary drilling stringto form a rigid weight 1' element and means" I l associated with the body I0 adapted to receive fiiishing fiu'idfroma wash over pipe t'o di's'ch'arge suchflui'dinto'the wellf here about the drill 'collar in the event that it becomes lost. I 'Ihe'body l0*is-an elongat mem to be connected in the drilling "string-is above drilling-tool T. In accordance with the my tionthe "body illm 'aybean integral member steel, or-the' like; resembling; gefir drill collar except thatfits major" larger in diameter 'thamth inaj typical drill 5: collar; I of the body It) it maybe of great-w gth t being longer'than a typical drilf c'ollari The body" I 0 -is-preierably cyli rtu lrical"- and 'itsupper end portion I 2- and" its' lower 'endflportion 13 are re"- duced-indiameter. The reduced end portions -12 and [3 provide annular 'shoulders l 4 'and l5 at theupper and lower ends, respectively? of "the major' portio'n of the body I0; The-fupper end of the-body l0 may be provided withatapered v screw-threaded socket [6 "for receiving *a' pin l1' on the lower end 'ofthe string-Sb Means is provided at- 'the lower end'ofthe'body lfl' foncon necti-ng it in 'thestring or for connecting it with a drilling tool's In the particulanarrangement illustrated a tapered socket -l 8 a is provided" the 6 lower end of the body l0 to receive a pin IS on the upper end of the tool T. A central longitudinal fluid passage 20 extends through the body l0 from one end to the other to handle the circulation fluid or rotary mud during the drilling "operation. It will be noted that thebody Ill just described is a simple structure that is inexpen- The grooves 2| constitute conduits or channels for handling the flushing fluid. In the particular formof the invention illustrated there are three grooves 2| equally spaced about the body ID. The grooves 2| may be of any suitable shape, for example, they may be square or rectangular in cross section, as illustrated. The fluid channels or grooves 2| extend throughout the length of the major portion of the body l0 to have their upper ends open at the shoulder l4 and their lower ends open at the shoulder IS. The meansl'll further includes one or more fluid channels or grooves 22 extending longitudinally in the periphery of the body "3. The grooves 22 extend longitudinally in the periphery of the large diametered major portion of the body i3 and may be, spaced between the spaced grooves, 2| as illustrated. In practice there may bethree equally spaced grooves 22. The fluid conducting grooves 22 may be of the same shape and capacity as thegrooves 2|. In accordance with the invention the grooves 22 extend upwardly from the lower body shoulder l5 and terminate some distance below the upper body shoulder M. It will be noted that the grooves 2| and 22 may be readily milled or otherwise formed in the body It).

The auxiliary fluid handling means further includes means for closing the open outer sides of the grooves 2| and 22 and for controlling the discharge of the flushing fluid from the grooves. In the preferred structure illustrated this means includes a sleeve or tube 23 surrounding the major portion of the body In to close off the outer sides of the grooves 2| and 22. The tube 23 may be a simple length of pipe ortubing and may terminate ator slightly beyond the shoulders I4 and I5, as illustrated. The tube 23 is preferably rigidly secured to the body |ll.-"In'the simple structure illustrated the tube 23 is secured to the body ID by welding 24. It will be noted that the tube 23 presents a smooth cylindrical outer surface for contacting the side wall of the well bore so that the drill collar may operate as a guide or stabilizer for the drilling string. The tube 23 in extending across or closing the outer sides of the grooves 2| and 22 ef- The chamber 26 places the lower ends .of the grooves 2| in communication with the lower ends of the grooves 22.- The invention provides a plurality of spaced ports 21 in the wall of the cap 25. The ports 21 are preferably provided in the lower wall of the cap 25 and are spaced and pitched so that the jets of fluid discharging from them are effective in washing away the sand about the lower portion of the drill collar and about the tool T; The ports 21 are circumferentially spaced and are inclined downwardly and outwardly and pitched rearwardly relative to the right hand direction of rotation of the drill collar. 7 The ports 21 are relatively small in diameter to discharge jets of fluid at a high velocity to cut away accumulations of sand about the lower portion of the drill collar and about the bit. The tube 23 is perforated or ported to dischargerthe flushing fluid from the body grooves 22. In practice the tube '23 may have a series of vertically spaced ports 28 in its Wall communicating with each channel or groove 22. The ports 28 are adapted to discharge jets of fluid under pressure outwardly into the well bore throughout the major portion of the length of the drill collar. V q

The auxiliary fluid handling means further embodiesa coupling member 29 at the upper end portion of the drill collar to receive or,

connect with; a wash-over pipe (not shown) to conduct the flushing fluid from the pipe to the grooves 2 I.

cured to the upper end of the tube 23. The member 29 surrounds the reduced upper portion' E2 of the body l0 and its interior constitutes a fluid receiving chamber 30 in communication with the channels or grooves 2|. The member 29 connected with the tube 23 as just described, in effect constitutes a continuation of the tube and, accordingly, is rigidly secured to the drill collar body l0. The coupling member 29 carries a thread for receiving or mating with a thread on the wash-over pipe. In the preferred structure a pin 3| is provided on the upper end 7 The coupling, member '29 is a, tubular member .welded or otherwise rigidly seof the coupling member 29 and carries a coarse thread for mating with an internal thread on the body portion |2 with substantial clearance leaving an annular fluid passage 32 for carrying the flushing fluid to the receiving chamber 30.

The invention provides a sand trap in the receiving chamber 3|] to prevent the grooves 2| and the other channels of the means I I from becoming sanded up when the circulation is suspended during a shut down or when the drilling string breaks and results in a suspension of the circulation. The sand trap includes a plurality of vertically spaced shelves or flanges 33 extending horizontally across the interior of the receiving chamber 33. The flanges 33 are annular to form continuous barriers across the interiorl of the chamber- 30. In the preferred structure illustrated the flanges 33 are integral parts of the coupling member .29. Ports 34 are provided in the flanges 33. The ports 34 may be in the form of notches in the inner sides or edges of the flanges 33. The ports 34 of one flange 33 are staggered or circumferentially oifset rela-' tive to the ports 34 of the other flange. When there is an absence of proper circulation in the well sand may settle downwardly through the passage 32 and collect on the upper surfaces of the flanges 33. These accumulations of sand mayextendacross or bridge the ports 34 to close e g ri ge of sand that way? W the ri r d. we ght v ment md bitgor' drillingtool f'I. During the ation the great weight of the drill coll'ar Qconcen: tr'ated innnediately fabove the drillingfltool T is directly applied to the; drilling tool to steady the same andtoieedjthe'tml into the earthio'rmaa hewe ght of e. S rt ry r i nar being concentrated immediately above 'thetool' Tresists tendencies of th'ejbit to deviate from the bearing'orjstabilizer in'th'e' drilling string gf The cylindrical periphery of thetiibe 23 may contact 'thewall-"of the well bore to guide and stabilize the drilling tool T. It is to be understood that the rotary "mud or I circulation fluid is pumped "downwardly through the's'tring Sto'flow down- 36 or the grooves 2| during drilling operations. 7

wardly'through the-"passage '20 and discharge from the tool Tin the usual manner "during the I drilling operation and that "fluidis not passed downwardly through the passage 32, the chamber sollong asthe usual proper circulation is maintained in the well there will" be littleior no settling of sand or mud in the chamber 30.

In the event that the tool T or the drill collar,

or ,both; become caught in the well, or the drilling string S parts above the drill collar, it'may be necessary to deliver, flushing fluid to the means 1 I to clear or wash away accumulations of sandffrom around the vvdrill collar andthe tool.

- To accomplish this a wash-overpipe (not shown) into the grooves 22.

the member 29.

ispassed downwardly ove'rvthe. strings or the v remaining. portionof the brokenstring S and a socketed coupling memberion the lower end of the wash-over pipe isilthreaded on the pin 3|: of The wash-over. pipe may, con-' duct water or other suitable fluid under pressure tothe passage 32.. This flushing fiuiddelivered to the passage 32 under pressure readily washes away any bridges or accumulations of :sand that maybe present on the flarig'es- 33' and thus is of the flushing fluid is appreciably restricted by thesmall ports 21 in the"cap"25 so that fluid underi pressure is delivered to the ports 28'. The

ports 28 .dischargefjet's'of flushing fluid at a high velocity' to wash: away the accumulations of sand aboutthe V drill" collar. Fluid discharged from the ports- 21 (ifcourse flows upwardly around the" drill collar togroove and wash away mud andsand that may be packed about it. 'I'husflui'd discharged 'from the drill collar at cumjf," lilationsbf ultimat ear. thefifsand. from abqiit fthe ijentirfeif I jj'operation the drill collar is connected in rillingjstring in thf usual man'n'er "o1 f'serve ertica ;s qest pelets-ieef e about th'urin} 3 drill collar is tightly sanded in t m ayfldischarge fromthe. upper, 1 fluid, thus' dischar' 'ged from th upper ports 21g may" gradually t uncover, gliivr "'p'dfit's. and Jth length or the ,di'jill'lcbllari "The; Walsh-overjpipegfthreaded to. the pin, 3-1 may' beemployedlto turnjjorim ethe .drilllcollalir toireethesame during or folio in'gtheflushing ope ation; i In someiin stances ,it 'rnay be pos'siblery Qtai J ha ri collar by; m n Q J e Wa e. 'o erpipe while pumping the flushi g, fluid'undielj 15H pressure to the drillcollar todi'scharg'efrornfl th'e ports and 28.. Thisrotation of thedrillll'collar ,of course assists, in freeing it, for removal When'thedrill collar has been loosened 91;. free it may be re-moved from the well togetherflwit the tool TV and the lost portion. of the string s. I The wash-over pipe (not shown) threaded to the lostj parts from the well,

Having described only atypical preferred formand application of my invention'I donot wishto be limited or restricted to the specific details hereinfset' forth, but wish to, reserve to myself any var a ion or d Q iQQ ei may appear tothose skilled inthe art or fall within the scope of the following claims, r 7

Having described my invention, I claimg chaging fiuid from said duct,' 'an'd means asso: ciated with the body for receiving fiushing fluid; from a wash-over pipe and delivering' it lto the duct" r i v a v. i

A ril co ar f e: n a d l i ss r ns neluding al body tobe connected in the .drilling strinfg iandhaying a passage'for conducting the circulation fluid, means forconducting flushing v fluid longitudinally .of the body ,and discha'rging into the well atlongitudinally spaced points, and

means on. the (body for receiving fluid fro m a waslfiover p p a d .del y ine i t t e fi s men tion (1 means.

3. A drilljcollar for use in a drilling stringin-f cludingga body, to beconnected in the.drilling string and havinga passage, ,,for, -conductihg the" circulation fluid and, having longitudinal fluid channels; one of said fluid. channel's jdischarging atthe lower portion of the body, another' of said] fluid channels discharging at a higher-point. on the body, and means for receiving fluid jifrom a wash-over pipe. to supplyv fluidrto: said fluid, channels. i'jfA drill collar ,for use in adrillingstringincludi'rig,fla .b'o'dyi 'to beconnected'in the .drilling v string and having a. passage [for I conducting the; I circulation and having cornmunicatingpfluidl channels. .dischar'ginglinto the well throughout a substantial portion of the length of the body, and g a coupling member on the 1 body for receiving a-- coupling part on a wash over pipe and conducting fluidffrornthepipe to said ;-cha nne1 f A l l q l re q b connec ma w l .dri le e strin com is ng an qngat b dy-.91 largeme r v l n di al; fi driia ease r"; handling 7 the drilling fluid; and a longitudinal ealsmow means c sin r eputer-si i deptsa-idi groove, the groove discharging at the lower por- 75 tion of the body','and a coupling'part on the body for connecting with a coupling parton a washover pipe and adapted to deliver fluidfrom the pipe to the groove.

6. A drill collar to be connected in a well drilling string comprisin anelongate body of large diameter having a longitudinal fluid passage for handling the drilling fluid and a longitudinal ex' ternal groove, means closing the. outer side of said groove, means at the lower end of the groove for dischargingthe fluid therefrom at circumferentially spaced points, and a tubular coupler at the upper end of the body communicatingvvith adapted to be engagedby a coupler on a washover pipe and having a chamber-receiving fluid therefrom and communicating with certain of the grooves, said means having ports communicating with the other grooves to discharge fluid therefrom.

8. A drill collar to be connected in a well drilling string including, an elongate body having a longitudinal passage for thedrilling fluid and having a plurality of longitudinal external grooves, means closing the outer sides of the grooves, a part on the body having a chamber communicating with the lower ends'of the several grooves, said part having ports communicating withthe chamber and discharging into the well, and a coupler on the bodyadapted to be engaged by a coupler on a Wash-over pipe and having a chamber receiving fluid therefrom and communicating with certain of the grooves, said means having ports communicating with the o the grooves to discharge fluid therefrom.

9. A drill collar to be connected in a well drilling string including, an elongate body having a longitudinal passage for the drilling fluid and having a plurality of longitudinal external grooves, a tube surrounding the body and closing the outer sides of said, grooves, there being a chamber in the lower end of the tube communicating with the lower ends of said grooves and discharging into the well bore, and a coupling member at the upper end of the'tube for connecting with a Wash-over pipe for delivering fluid to the grooves.

10. A drill collar tobe'connected in a well drilling string including, an elongate body having a longitudinal passage for the drilling fluid and having a plurality of longitudinal external grooves, a tube surrounding the body and closing the outer sides of said grooves, there being a chamber in the lower end of the tubecommunieating with the lower ends of said grooves and discharging into the well bore, a coupling member at the upper end of the tube for connecting with a wash-over pipe for delivering fluid to the grooves, and a sand trap in the coupling member. 11. A drill collar to be connected in a .well drilling string including, an elongate bodyhaving a longitudinal passage for the drilling fluid and having a plurality of longitudinal external grooves, a't'ube fixed'to and surrounding the body and closing the'outer sides of said grooves, there being a chamber in thelower end of the tube communicating with the lower ends of said grooves and discharging into the well bore, and a coupling member at the upper end of the tube for connecting with a wash-over pipe for deliveringfluid to the grooves.

'12. A'drill collar to be connected in a well drilling stringincluding, anelongate body having a longitudinal passage for the drilling fluidand having a plurality of longitudinal external grooves, a tube surrounding the body and closing the outersid'es 'ofgsaid grooves, a cap on the lower end'of the tube having achamber communicating with the several grooves and having having a plurality of longitudinal external;

, grooves, a tube surrounding the body and closing the outer sides of said grooves, a cap on the municating with the several grooves and having a discharge port, and a tubular coupler on the upper 25 .lower end of the tube having a chamber com-'- end of the tube communicating'with the grooves and having a thread for mating with a thread on a wash-over pipe, certain of said grooves.

. being out of communication with the coupler and the tube having discharge ports communicating with said certain grooves and spaced above the said cap.

14. A drill collar to be connected in a well drilling string including, an elongate body having a longitudinal passage for the drilling fluid and having a plurality. of longitudinal external grooves, a tube surrounding the body and closing the outer sides of said grooves, a cap on the lower end of the tube having a. chamber communicating with the several grooves and having a discharge port, and a tubular'coupler on the upper end of the tube communicating with the grooves and having a thread for mating with a thread on a wash-over pipe, the coupler including vertically spaced internal flanges having fluid ports, the

ports of one groove being ofiset from the ports- I,

of the other groove.

15. In a rotary well drilling string, a sand trap including, a tubular member, and longitudinally spaced internal flanges in the'member, the flanges having fluid ducts, the-ducts of one flange being circumferentially offset from the ducts of the comprising, an inner member, an outer member telescoped over the, inner member with clearance to 7 leave a fluid passage, and vertically spaced flanges on one member extending across the passage to the other member, therebeing fluid openings through the flanges connectingthe portions of the passages separated. by the flanges, the

openings of one flange being out of vertical alignment with the openings in the other flange.

JESSE *C; WRIGHT. 

